Adventures in Science Fiction Cover Art: The Art of Robert Foster, Part I

Robert Foster produced only a handful of science fiction covers. The most inventive graced a span of Frederik Pohl novels and short story collections released by Ballantine Books in the late 60s. Sadly, I can find no information about the artist himself online (if you do please let me know). Here’s a selection of the most interesting, haunting, and spectacular…

That first Pohl book is great, you are correct! And now that I look at these I think I may have an anthology with one of his covers on it. I’ll have to look at it closer when I get home but my recollection of it is that it has the thematic scheme of these and has a slightly more clothed woman on the cover that does look a lot like the woman on Thorns.

Hi, Im Robert Foster’s niece, Jody. Just stumbled upon this article . My Uncle Bob was a great guy, passed away wheen i was in high school. Thanks for honoring him with this article- good stuff! Glad to see the Tom Watson link above, he is a super nice guy!.

Hello…I am Robert Foster’s daughter, Christina. Thanks for recognizing my Father’s great art ability and talents. He was taken from us too soon,
50 years old and we miss him deeply…I feel honored to be his daughter!

Hello. I am Robert Fosters niece and I live with his surviving brother Edward Thomas Foster. Should you ever want information on my Uncle; my father, to whom he was quite close would be a font of information. Thank you and Mr. Watson for honoring a lovely and talented man we lost too soon. My father would like me to provide you with his e-mail address: cfoster151@cox.net. Thank you again. Laura Melissa Foster

Thanks for the comment and offer! I’ll be sure to email Edward soon. I’m tempted to come up with a series of question that might feature in a post about Robert Foster if that is something Edward might want to do. Thanks again!

Hi I am Robert Foster’s niece- Johanna Foster Espitia He was my dad’s older brother. He passed away after a brief illness back in the 70’s. he was a wonderful man and I remember him fondly. He was resideing in NYC and passed away in his apt. Just prior to his passing , he had been out to visit us in California. There are numerous artists in our family, I being one of them, although I don’t make my living at it. He also did numerous covers for Dell , such as the Posiedon adventure, etc.